by Charisse Tyson | Jun 2, 2026 | Patriotism, Spiritual Growth
Three churches, one Savior, and a beautiful reminder of how God changes communities.
This morning, Tommy and I attended church just a few blocks from our RVICS home base in Smithville, Texas. Our congregation at Abundant Grace joined believers from First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church for a combined worship service.
As I looked around the sanctuary, I couldn’t help but smile.
We came from different churches, different backgrounds, and different traditions. Some worship a little differently than others. Some prefer hymns. Some prefer contemporary music. Yet for a couple of hours, none of those differences mattered.
We were simply brothers and sisters in Christ gathered beneath the same cross.
In today’s world, that’s a beautiful thing.
It sometimes feels like division is everywhere we look. Social media thrives on it. Politics fuels it. Families struggle with it. Even churches find themselves separated by issues that can overshadow what matters most.
But Jesus prayed for unity among His followers. Not uniformity. Not agreement on every secondary issue. Unity.
This morning reminded me of what that can look like.
We enjoyed worship music by musicians from both congregations, and it filled the sanctuary with joy and gratitude. Pastor Holt shared a message titled It’s a Set Up, based on the book of Daniel.
Daniel’s enemies were jealous of him and wanted to get rid of him. The problem was that they couldn’t find anything wrong with his work or his character. So, they devised a different plan. By appealing to King Darius’s pride, they convinced him to sign a law requiring everyone to pray only to the king for thirty days.
Their real target was Daniel.
They knew he would never stop praying to God, and once the law was signed, they reported him for breaking it. Bound by his own decree, the king reluctantly sent Daniel to the lions’ den.
But what Daniel’s enemies meant for harm, God used for good.
God shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel emerged unharmed. The very trap his enemies had set for him ultimately became the means by which God demonstrated His power and faithfulness.
The message was a powerful reminder that we can trust God even when circumstances seem impossible. We don’t need to seek revenge or settle scores ourselves. God is fully capable of defending His people, and His plans are always greater than those of those who oppose Him.
As I listened to Pastor Holt’s message, I couldn’t help but think about some of the political battles taking place in our country today. Regardless of where we stand politically, history shows that people often react strongly when someone threatens the status quo. Daniel faced opposition not because he was corrupt or incompetent, but because he was effective and refused to compromise his convictions.
While no modern political figure is perfect, the story serves as a reminder that criticism, attacks, and even unfair treatment are not new. God’s people are called to stay focused on truth, trust God with the outcome, and remember that He remains in control no matter what headlines dominate the news cycle.
As the message concluded, I looked around the room and saw people who might attend different churches on most Sundays yet were worshiping together as one body of believers.
After the service, everyone gathered for a lunch buffet and fellowship. Conversations flowed easily. New friendships were formed. Old friendships were strengthened. There was laughter, encouragement, and a genuine sense of community.
Somewhere between the worship service and the dessert table, I found myself thinking about how much our world needs examples like this.
The Church is at its best when we remember that we are on the same team.
That doesn’t mean every church will do everything the same way. Different congregations have different strengths, ministries, and ways of serving their communities. Those differences can actually strengthen the larger body of Christ when we approach one another with humility and grace.
What unites us is infinitely more important than what distinguishes us.
We all serve the same Savior.
We all depend on the same grace.
We all carry the same mission of sharing the hope of Jesus with a hurting world.
That’s why gatherings like today’s matter.
They remind us that God’s Kingdom is much larger than any single congregation, denomination, or church building. They remind us that while we may worship in different places on Sunday mornings, we belong to the same family.
Watching three congregations worship together reminded me that unity isn’t just a nice idea. It’s something God repeatedly calls His people to pursue.
Jesus told His followers that they are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–16). Salt preserves. Light shines. Neither accomplishes much if it remains hidden away.
Before returning to Heaven, Jesus gave His followers what we know as the Great Commission, instructing them to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–20). That mission wasn’t given to one church, one denomination, or one pastor. It was given to all believers.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would empower His people to be witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” Paul later reminded us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
And in Galatians 6:9–10, believers are encouraged not to grow weary in doing good, but to continue serving others and caring for those around them.
When I look at those verses together, I see a common thread.
He calls us to serve, to love, to share the Gospel, to help those in need, and to work together in accomplishing His purposes.
That was the beauty of what I witnessed this morning.
After worship and before Pastor Holt’s message, the children were invited to the front of the church for a lesson involving the cutest puppet you’ve ever seen. Through questions, answers, and lots of participation, the Trinity was explained in a way the children could understand.
It was beautiful.
Our kids need more Jesus, not less. Watching churches come together while teaching children about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in such a simple and meaningful way filled my heart with hope.
The Church has the power to change the world, but we are strongest when we work together.
As Tommy and I headed home after lunch, I found myself thanking God for what we had experienced.
The headlines constantly remind us of what divides people.
This morning reminded me of what can unite them.
I hope and pray that if your community doesn’t have a ministerial alliance or something similar with the same purpose, you’ll be the match that lights that fire. Reach out to your pastors. Reach out to your neighbors. Look for opportunities to serve together instead of separately.
Sharing God’s love and helping those in need is one of the most powerful ways to open hearts and change minds.
Maybe the Church doesn’t need more arguments, more competition, or more walls between congregations.
Maybe we simply need more mornings like this one—believers gathering beneath one cross, serving one Savior, teaching the next generation about Jesus, and remembering that we’re all part of the same family.
Join me, won’t you?
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by Charisse Tyson | Jun 19, 2025 | Patriotism, Politics, Spiritual Growth
As the nation unravels in some places, I’m holding tight to the One who holds it all together.
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by Charisse Tyson | Nov 27, 2023 | Joy, Spiritual Growth
Think about this for a moment. You open your eyes after spending most of the night tossing and turning over worries that you can’t do a darn thing about. You went to a gas station yesterday, and half a tank, all you could afford, put such a dent in your wallet that you need to take items off your grocery list.
The trip to the store, where you purchased the barest of necessities, threw you into a deep depression. You spent the rest of the day grumbling and complaining before going to bed, upset and disgusted. It’s not a wonder that you didn’t sleep well.
You lie in your bed, too tired to face another challenging day. So, what do you do to turn things around? Make up your mind to think about good things and not all the negative stuff happening in the world. Find some joy in the little things.
Take a walk and revel in birds chirping or the wind whipping through the trees.
Smile at the lady walking her dog and tell her how cute he is. 🐕
Say hello to a squirrel happily eating a pine nut. 🐿️
Thank God that you were able to afford the milk that you poured into your cereal.
Thank Him for your health. If you never got COVID, thank God. If you got it and got through it, thank Him. If you lost someone to it, be glad they are in a much better place.
There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. I believe with all my heart that spending time being grateful leads to a joyful life. Philippians 4:8 gives us some fabulous instructions.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Can you be grumpy and grateful at the same time? I don’t think it’s possible. Do you want to experience true joy? Then, be thankful. Fill your thoughts with the good times, the wonderful people God has placed in your life, and the trials He brought you through. That should put a smile on your face and a skip in your step. 😁
Takeaway: You need to think about what you are thinking about. If you want to feel joyful, think about the good things in life and get your mind off the bad. It’s not always easy, but it will change your life for the better.
by Charisse Tyson | Feb 13, 2023 | Spiritual Growth
This is one of my favorite clichés. I am fond of it because it has played out in my life over and over again. Proverbs 16:9 in my Living Bible says, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
If I’ve learned one thing since I rededicated my life to Christ, it’s that His plans are always better than mine. I can attest to praying and believing for something that would not have worked out well for me if I’d gotten my way.
I may not always be happy about God’s timing. Patience is not one of my virtues. Oh my gosh! Did I use another cliché?
The bottom line is to trust God and pray; you will always be headed the right way. Now I’m a poet and don’t know it!
by Charisse Tyson | Jul 4, 2021 | Patriotism, Politics, Spiritual Growth
The Fourth of July and the celebration of the birth of our nation is tomorrow. Sadly, too many people view the day as a holiday consisting of backyard barbeques and fireworks. The reason for the observance is completely lost on them. This is especially prominent in people under the age of fifty. For the most part, Millennials and Generation Z are clueless about the significance of July Fourth because of the indoctrination in our schools. The educational system has been biased and broken for a very long time. Instead of wearing pride in your country as a badge of honor, it’s now seen as racist. It’s a sad state of affairs.
In my humble opinion, our nation hasn’t experienced a state of unrest like the current one since the civil war. It isn’t politicians that are going to fix it either. They are the reason that we are in this horrible mess, but we voted them into office. We failed to hold them accountable when they didn’t follow through with their campaign promises. We just tsk, tsked when they got caught in out-and-out lies. We stopped demanding truth and justice. But, it didn’t happen overnight. We have been like the frog that was boiled alive because the temperature of the water was turned up slowly. If he was thrown into the pot while the water was boiling, he would have been smart and hopped out. But, when the heat was turned up slowly, he didn’t notice he was being cooked. 
It’s going to require a ton of effort from patriotic, dedicated, God-fearing citizens to turn this critical situation around. We can only right the wrongs if people like those who fought against England’s tyranny take a stand and say no to the oppression our country is facing now. We are a free nation because of the sacrifices of millions that put their lives on the line for their beliefs in the country they cherished. Are you ready to stand and fight for our country and return it to its foundation as one nation under God? The Left wants to erase our history that refers to God and the godly individuals that founded this country. They have already done it in our schools from elementary to our universities. It is precisely why so many young people today have no appreciation for the sacrifices of our men and women in the military or our flag. It’s time to tell this tyrannical administration that we are not going to take this anymore!
God’s people need to stand up and stop this train wreck. We have been wimpy and apathetic for WAY too long. We played into the enemy’s hands when in the guise of tolerance, we ignored the truth. We paid no attention to the distortions of facts that the public school system was cramming down our kid’s throats. Many people, including Christians, believe that Thomas Jefferson’s intent with the establishment clause of separation of church and state was to keep the church out of the state when the opposite is true. His intent was to make sure that the state didn’t dictate how the church operated. A testament to the fact is that the Washington Monument and hundreds, if not thousands of historical shrines refer to God and scripture. God’s people built this beloved country, and it’s time for His people to take it back.
Christians stood silent when the government took prayer and the Bible out of our schools. They failed to stand together and fight to stop Roe v Wade. Statistics tell us that over 62 million babies have been aborted since its inception. I, like many others, believed in the “Woman’s right to choose” doctrine. Where did I get the idea that it was okay to kill babies as a means of birth control? It certainly wasn’t at church. I was indoctrinated by the educational system in that belief. I don’t recall the churches that we attended speaking out against it at the time either. I believe wholeheartedly that if God’s people and churches had united to stop the travesty of Roe v Wade, it would never have gotten past the Supreme Court. I have my own Planned Parenthood story, but that’s for another day. Suffice it to say that I am pro-life and don’t want a penny of my hard-earned money going to Planned Parenthood. I’m not alone in this by any stretch of the imagination. Surveys say that 7 out of 10 Americans don’t want to pay for abortions with their tax dollars.
Speaking of surveys, in a 2018–19 survey, 65% of adults in the United States identified themselves as Christians. That’s down from 75% in 2015. The moral fiber of our nation has declined in leaps and bounds, yet 65% of our country identifies as Christian. If we all acted like Jesus’ followers and adhered to the moral beliefs of the Bible, we wouldn’t have government offices filled with ungodly people, socialists, Marxists, and thieves. I know the pool to choose from has been bleak. It’s taken decades of slow decay and a heck of a lot of apathetic and lazy Christians to get us to this point. In our effort not to be labeled intolerant, we became wimpy do-nothings. We stood by while the loons on the Left dismantled our United States Constitution, disrespected our flag, our military, and law enforcement. They steal our tax dollars to fund their agendas and pad their bank accounts while many major cities have fallen entirely through the cracks.
Nancy Pelosi’s district is one of the worst in the country. She has somehow been re-elected time and time again, despite having done nothing for her constituents in 34 years in office. I personally believe that voter fraud has been going on for a lot longer than any of us know. Who in their right mind would vote for representatives like Pelosi and Maxine Waters, even in crazy California?
Let me ask you? Do you identify yourself as a Christian?
n.1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.
I thought I’d share that because I believe many people profess to be Christian when they don’t even know what that means. You can’t call yourself a Christ-follower and say that it’s okay to abort babies. Jeremiah 1:4 says, The Lord said to me, “I knew you before you were formed within your mother’s womb; before you were born I sanctified you and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” How many of God’s spokespeople have been ripped from their mother’s wombs through abortion? If God knows us all before we are even born, we all matter to Him. How can you call yourself a Christian and go along with the atrocity of abortion? It’s wrong on so many levels.
Isaiah 5:20 is currently being played out in our world. “They say that what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” The current crazy administration is sanctioning lawlessness. They announced to illegal immigrants that’s it’s okay to crash our borders and come here without going through legal channels. The damage it is doing to our country is unfathomable. Murders, rapists, and thieves are pouring into our country because of Biden’s policies. This should infuriate you, even if you are a Democrat. Heroin, Cocaine, and Fentanyl are once again flooding into our country from the southern border. Our President Trump had curtailed that traffic by initiating sensible policies and building our border wall. Biden got rid of all of them with a pen stroke only days after stepping into the office he stole. He has been worse than I even imagined.
It’s time to make some noise, people! It’s time to pray without ceasing that this travesty will not be allowed to continue. I believe that God has allowed the situation to go this far because many people, including Christians, refused to believe the truth about the election. They refused to accept the fact that the destruction of our country is what the democrats seek. The people that sit in front of their televisions eating up all of the lies the fake media throws at them need to wake the heck up! What will it take to open the eyes of those in denial? Are you not witnessing the crisis at the border, fuel prices through the roof, loss of jobs, an inflation rate at its highest increase since August of 2008, and a bumbling president that embarrasses our country every time he opens his mouth?
There is hope if the church will unite. If we will pray and seek God for guidance, He will show us what to do. We need to trust and believe that He will clean up this mess. We need to start talking about the great things He is already doing through this crisis and stop concentrating on the negative. I’ve remarked to many Christians that I am still praying and believing for the restoration of our country, and they act like I’ve lost my mind. They tell me that they are praying too, but they don’t see how we can change things. It’s bigger than us, folks. God can change anything. How can people that believe in Christ and the Bible not believe that He can fix this mess? How can you say that our God who parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could walk across dry land can’t expose a fraud like the 2020 election? Why are you so sure that He has deserted America?
America certainly deserves to have God turn His back on us. We turned ours on Him, but that’s not the way He rolls. As the opening scripture of this post says, if we will humble ourselves and seek Him, God will heal our land. We are God’s country. It’s time we started acting like it. Put Him back in our schools. Open up our churches and preach the Word without twisting it to appease the portioners so that your offering plates and seats are full. Call wrong, wrong, and right, right. If your church hasn’t taken a stand and opened its doors, I suggest finding another church. Find a Holy Spirit-filled church that ignites and empowers its people. We need godly people running for public offices. The school boards, city councils, supervisors’ offices, on up need people of integrity on them.
What are you going to do? How are you going to make a difference? Everyone can pray and believe. If that is all, you do it will make a difference. I believe that God loves America with all of my heart, and He will not let Satan take it. Trust me, the devil is shaking in his boots as he witnesses the revival that is underway. People are turning to Christ in record numbers. Renewal, restoration, and repentance is taking place on a global scale. Do not be dismayed. You are about to witness a monumental shift in this nation. I believe the free rein that God allowed Satan to have in this country is coming to an end. He knows it too. The great awakening that is taking place should embolden you to speak out for God and His people. You should be fed up with the censorship of Social Media and the lies of the mainstream media. You should be fighting mad that real news is no longer reported on except for a couple of conservative stations. The double standards of the democrats should make you livid, even if you are registered as a member of the party. You should be filled with outrage that our election was stolen. When all of the fraud and cheating is exposed, which it will be, you should want everything to be done to see that nothing like it ever happens again. If we allow this travesty to continue, it will be the end of our country as we know it.
Please, take a stand and let your voice be heard. Even if you never saw yourself in a position in the political arena, consider it. Write to those ding dongs in congress that forgot that they work for us and tell them how you feel. Wherever your sphere of influence is, use your voice and encourage others to pray and vote for godly people. You can make a difference. We all can. Let’s take our country back, folks. When you pray, do it with confidence. Believe it and receive it. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. You can’t pray for something while in the back of your mind believing it is impossible and expect your prayers to be answered. Let’s all unify in the belief that God will save this nation. Let’s all start talking about the revival, renewal, refreshing, and reset coming to our United States of America.
Are you with me? I hope that you are. Have a blessed 4th of July. Enjoy your family and your safe and sane fireworks. Just be sure to let your kids know what the celebration is about. Please feel free to add your prayers and positive comments to this post.
I look forward to sharing the positive energy. God is good, and He’s not done with us yet.
Blessings, Cat
by Charisse Tyson | Jun 18, 2021 | RV Travel, Spiritual Growth
I’m amazed by the changes that a renewed relationship with Christ made in me. The same woman that dreaded a trip to Costco by herself headed out alone on a seven-mile hike around Lake Siskiyou a couple of weeks ago. Who is this person?
I’m thrilled to say that I’m a woman after God’s own heart. I’ve grown leaps and bounds spiritually since rededicating my life to Christ in January of 2002. So much has happened since then, much of it expounded on in my memoir, Born Again in a Biker Bar It’s available on Amazon in case you are interested in hearing “the rest of the story.”
The last three years have been a whirlwind. The changes that took place before that came about more slowly. But, we are all a work in progress. If you aren’t where you want to be at this stage in your life, keep the faith and know that God works everything out for good in the lives of His kids. My husband, Tommy, and I are prime examples of that.
Our current position in life is nothing short of miraculous. As Ephesians 3:20 says: Now glory be to God who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do abundantly more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. I thought the dreams I had for my life were lofty, but God has given me so much more than I dreamed of.
As I mentioned, we traveled to the Lake Siskiyou Campgrounds 90 miles north of our Shingletown home. We didn’t want to be on the property during our open house. We are joining in the mass exodus of loony, liberal, over-taxed, and overburdened California. Our beautiful home on six secluded acres is practically brand new. It’s a 1406 square-foot three-bedroom – two-bath modular home that was delivered to our property just over a year ago. We didn’t move into it until August because we were waiting on furniture. We sold or gave away almost everything when we left Hollister in August of 2019. The sale of that home was a fantastic story. More on that later.
Since selling Johnny’s Bar & Grill, which I owned and managed for over 22 years, we made three cross-country trips in our motorhome. We lived a full year in our RV when we sold our house in Hollister. We drove all the way to the Florida Keys. On the return trip to the west coast, we joined the Escapees RV Group for a visit to San Felipe, Mexico. It was a fantastic journey. We returned to our Shingletown property in March of 2020 but left for a southern location when it started snowing. We truly don’t like cold weather. We were in Winters, California, haha, when the Covid lockdowns first took place. Like everyone else, we thought the whole thing would blow over in a couple of weeks. How wrong we were.
The lockdowns made our furniture purchases a nightmare. Had I known that the 2020 elections would go so horribly and that lunatics like Pelosi and Waters would keep their Senate seats in California, I would have opted to shop at the Salvation Army. I had high hopes that things would change in the beautiful state that I was born and raised in. But, sadly, we can’t abide by the insane politics, laws, and taxes in this state any longer. So now we are selling the house that we haven’t even lived in for six months. We moved back into our motorhome to put our property on the market.
Tommy and I never really felt at home in the house. I believe that God didn’t let us get settled in Shingletown because He knew that we would be leaving it and California in our rearview mirror soon. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a gorgeous home in an extraordinary setting. We are surrounded by forest. It’s very secluded. Our only two neighbors are great folks that are too far away to see. Sadly, the property is in the wrong state. Shingletown is much more conservative territory than Hollister, but it’s still California. If you can’t bear to leave the state, but you’d like to live in an area that represents a more conservative view, with a house that is entirely utility independent, check out our home. It may be perfect for you. We have an excellent solar system, well with tasty water, a 5000-gallon storage tank, and a septic system. It has my husband’s dream shop of over 1500 square feet when you include the loft. Our goal was to have a completely off-grid home. We figured if the state went to hell in a handbag, we’d have the basic provisions and our guns. Now we just want to get as far away from it as possible.
As I walked on the trail around Lake Siskiyou, I was awestruck by God’s amazing handiwork. I asked Him a couple of times how a place that He made so beautiful could get so screwed up. The answer is pretty simple. The legislators that we voted into office are ungodly and corrupt. Christians have been asleep at the wheel. We were so worried about offending someone that we didn’t even stand up against the assault on our religious freedoms. It wasn’t just California, but we are certainly one of the bluest and looniest states in the union. But I digress. I was talking about the beauty of Lake Siskiyou.
I don’t know when you feel the closest to God, but for me, it’s when I’m admiring His handiwork. Being out in nature, especially close to water, I feel His presence in a big way. I am so grateful for His blessings. We followed the Lake Siskiyou weekend up with a visit to Lake California to spend time with our longtime friends, the Uhauld’s. We had meals together at our campsite and their house and laughed about the crazy times we used to have. We were a bunch of partying fools. We enjoy an exceptional camaraderie with them and our friends, the Frisbee’s who are the reason that we wound up in Shingletown. Linda and Dave have lived here for many years. More than twenty years have passed since we first started hanging out together in Hollister. Our lives have changed completely, but we still have a strong bond. It’s so awesome that God is the glue that keeps us all together. Back in the day, the subject of God didn’t come up often. Now He is the center of all our lives, and we are all the better for it. God is so good. He put together this ragtag bunch of people knowing that lifelong godly relationships would ensue.
God has blessed us all in many ways. For Tommy and me, it’s been the joy we’ve found in traveling in our motorhome that has completely changed our lives. If you would have told me, even five years ago, that I would be more comfortable living in a 40-foot motorhome than a house, I might have accused you of being insane. Most of my friends thought I’d be miserable. But God had a plan.
Tommy and I had only been together for a short time when I told him that we would see the United States in a motorhome one day when we retired. I didn’t give it a lot of thought before or after I said it, but 31 years later, God’s plan unfolded. He has been so good to us. His grace and mercy know no bounds.
It’s time for me to kick my lazy streak toward writing to the curb and start sharing more stories. So many of you went along with us on our first trip when I was diligently blogging. I hope you will join me again on our next chapter as we escape California. I won’t stop praying for a great awakening in the beautiful state that I was born in. When Newscum is recalled, and the church stands up to the tyranny and votes godly people into offices from the school boards to the senators, it will once again be a great place to live. We are getting old and don’t have the patience to wait for that to unfold. We can always come back and visit our native state. If you are staying in California and praying for the revival that the state needs, please do your part and let your voice be heard. If you are up for it, run for office. Whether it’s on the water board, city council, Supervisor’s office, or wherever, we need people of moral character to step up and take our state and our country back.
Thanks for hanging with me for a while. Don’t forget to pray for our nation daily. God bless, Cat
